In a Facebook private message from News & Record reporter, Morgan Glover I get the following:
" But I've since heard from fellow reporters that there is no lawsuit and probably won't be one."
Well her fellow reporters didn't get that from me as I have no power to stop Rocco Scarfone and the rinky-dink law firm, Rossabi, Black & Slaughter, formerly known as Forman Rossabi & Black, from doing anything, so apparently Rocco and his goons are planning a different, perhaps more traditional approach to mobster problem solving. Will I get a bullet to the back of my head? Will I disappear never to be found again? Or is Rocco really just another pussy with an inflated ego.
Morgan also wrote:
"Yeah I saw the 9-part series, but didn't have time to read it all."
That's right, her bosses at the Greensboro News & Record aren't going to allow her the time to do investigative journalism uncovered Scarfone's lifelong history and convictions of fraud, ties to organized crime, convictions in multiple states, murder, confidential informants and politicians on the take. If Scarfone actually takes me to court they'll let Morgan do a short blurb of a story that amounts to I'm claiming Scarfone is a gangster and Scarfone is suing me-- end of story. And before most of Greensboro ever gets the news the story is old news just like all the links I've pointed to in this series-- exactly the way Scarfone wants it to be.
The Greensboro News & Record used to be full of stories connecting Rocco Scarfone to former Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins. Problem is: the News & Record deleted their online archives not once, not twice but 3 times in the last 5 years. Every time Greensboro's bloggers start to use News & Record archives against our local politicians the online archives conveniently disappear. But hey, don't take my word for it, ask Roch, Even Jim Romenesko and retired News & Record assistant editor, Lex Alexander have long been critical of News & Record management.
And with the News & Record's history of changing their stories to suit the narrative it's hardly a wonder Rocco Scarfone's gangster empire has thrived here.
I found it interesting that it was Greensboro's Senator Trudy Wade who introduced a brown-bagging bill in the North Carolina Legislative Agenda that according to Greensboro Mayor Nancy Barakat Vaughan:
"Jeff, Trudy’s” brown bagging bill” was done so at the request of the City Council. It was part of our Legislative Agenda. Right now, if a strip club loses its liquor license they can reopen as a “Juice Bar” which allows for full nudity and patrons are allowed to brown bag, which eliminates any ALE oversight. If we are able to disallow this type of establishment it could benefit the remaining strip clubs by reduced competition."
Eliminates any oversight by North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement. You charge a cover charge at the door and overpriced mixers, no risk of being charged with over-serving alcohol to your customers-- man, it doesn't get any better than that if you happen to be in the business of mixing drinks and doing illegal deals on the side. You see, unlike other law enforcement, in North Carolina, ALE can walk in any time they want and demand to inspect your bar, no warrant needed.
And Senator Wade did it at the request of the Greensboro City Council after these establishments lost their liquor licenses due to corruption and violence. Fear of eliminating competition or fear of loosing campaign contributions and other payola? It looks as if City Council is just a bit too cozy with the bad boys from where I sit out here in the 'burbs.
Such a bill being supported by the Greensboro City Council is very strange when you consider that just 1 year before the very same council proposed the Entertainment Facility Use Ordinance which among other things stated: (.PDF file)
"The ordinance currently used by Charlotte does not have the emphasis on improving patron safety that Greensboro desires. Charlotte’s ordinance is drafted with the intent to provide an enforcement mechanism. The EFUO creates necessary additional safety measures at live entertainment businesses. The EFUO has no independent enforcement mechanism; the only enforcement provisions which exist for the EFUO already exist in the LDO and State law."
Imagine that? We make Greensboro's clubs safer by removing the state's ability to enforce the law after having previously pushed for stricter laws regulating safety in Greensboro nightclubs. Are you confused yet? I'll 'splain' it to you: Greensboro is for sale to the highest bidder!
Actually Scarfone was thought to be against the "brown bagging bill" because it wasn't his clubs that had lost their liquor liscenses but it demonstrates how easily our city council is bought and paid for. Apparently, our Rocco was simply outbid by the competition as this time it was statewide.
And then there's Scarfone's connection to Greensboro City Councilman Zack Matheny who recently announced his intention to fill the seat of retiring Howard Coble in the United States House of Representatives:
"Off the record sources have told me over the last two weeks that Zack wants, and is heavily pushing the city to provide taxpayer monies for a hotel parking lot for the Elm Street center.
Supposedly the big push by Matheny is tied to his involvement in a proposed House of Blues with Rocco Scarfone within a couple of blocks of the property.
I asked Zack about whether or not he has a business relationship with Mr. Scarfone, on tape, during a city council meeting and Mr. Matheny declined to answer..."
Declined to answer. Not a yes, not a no but declined to answer. And when Amanda Lehmert of the Greensboro News & Record interview Councilman Zack "Zip-me-up" Matheny as to why he voted no on a $1.975 million incentive package to the downtown Wyndham-- an incentive package Zack proposed to Council that was originally to include a parking garage that would be used by the House of Blues-- Zack Matheny said,
"It was out of my comfort zone," Matheny said Wednesday. "It’s too much for me personally."
Who doesn't vote yes on their own proposals? Somebody who is really scared, that's who. Check out the look on Councilman Zack Matheny's face when George Hartzman brings up the House of Blues:
So why did Zack Matheny really change his mind? Zack is caught in the middle between myself and Rocco Scarfone, both of us knowing his secrets. So who rolls first, Zack or Rocco?
Please take the time to demand an investigation into the affairs of Rocco Scarfone, Amiel Rossabi. their business associates and present and former members of the Greensboro City Council. Please join me in contacting the North Carolina Department of Justice and the United States Department of Justice so that we can bring an end to corruption at the highest levels of Greensboro government. Don't assume someone else will do it, everyone does that and nothing happens.
Oh and in case anyone wants to serve papers: Amiel Rossabi, 109 Kemp Road East. You've already got my address, sue me you two-bit lawyer, I dare you.
Please continue reading I'm Being Sued By Rocco Scarfone: Part 12
